With a White Paper in the pipeline to introduce radical law licensing reform, reporter Julie Wintle asks how this would change a Friday night out on the town

FOR years punters have rushed to the bar at 11 o'clock to get those drinks in before last orders - but that could be a thing of the past if a group of MPs get their way.

This year could see the end of that dreaded call if the All Parliamentary Beer Group has its recommendations to introduce a comprehensive list of suggestions for licensing reform accepted.

The MPs argue that the existing laws are outdated and that they were initially introduced to curb daytime drinking in the early part of this century.

Nowadays, these drinking restrictions are seen to be out of line with other European countries and with more people enjoying trips abroad, it could be argued they want the same freedom back at home.

If this group's proposals are incorporated into the Government's White Paper expected next Spring, the pub, restaurant and bar trades will all change dramatically.

One recommendation is that existing national hours be scrapped, with applications for hours dealt with on an individual pub basis.

There are obviously certain plus points if the reforms were enforced especially for the police. There would be an end to pubs throwing out customers at a set time, such as 11pm, which more often than not is a recipe for disaster.

Although one problem, which could arise, is if pubs then decide to apply for a 3am licence, thus moving the 11pm flash point to the following morning.

Jo Howe, manager of The Black Horse, on Skipton's High Street, which is owned by Scottish and Newcastle brewery, told the Herald she thought such reforms would be a good idea.

"At the moment the laws are quite old-fashioned. Being part of a national company we would not get a choice when to open, we'd be told when to. I don't think pubs would open all the time if this was brought in. What's the point of a pub in the village opening at 9am?

"One of the main problems we face at the moment, is when we call time people just don't want to go home. I think new laws would be more adaptable."

Meanwhile, the reforms were also popular with Skipton's Cross Keys landlord Richard Day.

He said: "We should have the right to open at any time we want, even if that means stopping open for 24 hours.

"It's always been the case for Skipton that there's always been one night club which attracts all the younger people and there's nothing else for the older people. A lot of the older people would appreciate it if they could just stay on for another hour or so in the pub and then go home at midnight."

He added: "I just think our laws are archaic and I think we need to get in line with Europe. I think it wouldn't make much difference during the week. At the weekends though it would be better because there would be staggered throwing out times, instead of everyone gathering outside the night clubs at 2am."

Other changes would include the abolition of the current licensing system and the creation of a new licensing board comprising magistrates, councillors and others.

Licences would be issued to the individual and the pub, with a landlord's licence tough to obtain but lasting a lifetime, subject to orderly conduct.

It would enable the licensee to move between different premises without applying for a new licence each time. Premises would also be given either an on-licence, or an off- licence and what was permitted at each venue would be covered under individually imposed conditions.

Public objections would be easier, quicker and cheaper to bring and there would be tougher standards on noise levels.

There would be a graded penalty system for poorly performing licensees and the police and environmental health would have the powers to issue penalties such as complete pub closure in severe cases.

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